* Truck is licensed in Boulder as an ice cream truck and not required to have a mobile vending license

Now a few weeks out from spring, Boulder's food truck industry has blossomed into near-maturity as a larger fleet has set its sights on further building the local movement, which already has resulted in a brick-and-mortar spin-off for one operator.

The newness of the sector also has brought some growing pains.

At least two early entrants already have shuttered their food truck operations. Other existing operations say Boulder's newly established code, which includes limitations on hours and locations, could be unhealthy for the food truck industry in "the foodiest town in America."

"The people just want more options," said A.J. Julian, owner of the barbecue-focused Top of the Hill Grill West food truck. "(The city) is not being progressive with the biggest movement in the food industry for decades."

Rolling with the regulations

When city officials approved an expanded code on mobile vending last spring, they had hoped to strike a balance between the interests of existing brick-and-mortar restaurants and those of the latest generation of mobile purveyors of street food, said Sarah Huntley, a city spokeswoman.

"The ordinance that was reached was an attempt to find some middle ground," she said.

The regulations allow for licensed mobile food vendors to operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., but not longer than four consecutive hours in one spot. They are allowed in public rights-of-way in industrial zones and in business, mixed-used and downtown zones with property owner approval -- but they have to steer clear of restaurants and residential districts by 150 feet.

After operating under the new ordinance for about 10 months, some operators say the city should consider broadening the regulations to allow food trucks to set up "pods" for special occasions such as festivals or, possibly, in downtown Boulder after 10 p.m. to sate late-night appetites.

Sara Farmer, of the Heirloom food truck, serves Diana Van Gorden her lunch dish last week when the truck stopped at a Gunbarrel business park
(
CLIFF GRASSMICK
)

City officials have looked into modifying the young regulations as they applied to mobile vending in parks, but not necessarily as they related to geographic areas or hours, Huntley said.

"I don't know that's gained much momentum at this point," she said.

The mobile food vendors are bringing diversity to Boulder's food scene and providing options for some under-served populations in places such as business parks; however, less than 10 trucks are legally operating in the city, Huntley said.

As of Jan. 31, seven operators had obtained the necessary approvals -- mobile vending license, business license and health department clearance -- to operate within Boulder, according to a list provided by the city of Boulder.

"I don't know whether other folks are not applying because they feel the ordinance is onerous or they determined it was not a viable business (opportunity) ... I don't see seven food trucks throughout the city of Boulder as representing the groundswell of interest that the council heard about," Huntley said.

Carving niches

More than seven food trucks, however, are operating within Boulder.

Some say they were not aware that the new code required a license -- trucks, previously, were able to operate on private property as "caterers" -- and others, including the owners of Verde Food Truck, said they are in the process of applying.

More tires on the street can only help the local industry, said Julian of Top of the Hill Grill.

"If anything, I kind of feel like the more trucks the better, in terms of awareness," he said.

Each truck that's in operation appears to have carved out its own niche, he said, noting veteran Comida's Mexican fare, his truck's barbecue offerings and the Tasterie Truck's desserts.

The unique focus, he added, allows the food trucks to also work together as opposed to compete and create a revenue stream that he feels could "save the Boulder food truck industry."

Shannon Aten, owner of the Tasterie Truck, has helped to organize homeowners' association-approved block parties in certain local neighborhoods.

"We have five or six trucks and they have a block party," she said. "The neighborhood people love it."

Aten said she hopes that the trucks could do the same in the heart of Boulder, but has run into roadblocks when she approached the city.

She noted the map provided by the city indicating two-dozen "possible mobile food vending" sites within downtown Boulder. The vast majority of the highlighted areas were buildings. Aten said she inquired about the trucks obtaining an event permit to operate in the locale of the Boulder Farmers' Market, but said she was denied.

"We're all trying to abide by the rules, but it is very difficult," she said.

Some members of the burgeoning industry have had to call it quits.

StrEat Chefs, the food truck launched by local "Top Chef" winner Hosea Rosenberg, was put on permanent hiatus last spring. Some personal reasons played into the decision, but another cause were the city's regulations, Rosenberg told the Camera at the time.

"Being able to conduct this type of business in Boulder is pretty tough, and we had really hoped we would have more permission to be in downtown Boulder with the mobile vending," he said. "Los Angeles and Portland and other cities are allowing it, and they're permitting people. And I think Boulder will get there, and they're not there yet."

The Walnut Café's owners retired their Walnut-A-Go-Go truck, nicknamed "Dinah," last summer because it was not a profitable venture.

"With a food truck, I think initially as investors, it seemed like a really fun idea," said Dana Derichsweiler, a co-founder of the longtime breakfast and brunch restaurant operator. "Maybe it wasn't going to be a huge money-maker of course ... you have to figure out how to make it a healthy company.

"It seemed like it was going to be a lot of fun, if nothing else, great promotion for the restaurants, but I figured out pretty quickly one of the things that really works in that business is if you're the owner/operator ... if you own that truck, you need to be on that truck."

While Derichsweiler said she's sad she had to put Dinah on the selling block, she's happy she and her business partners were able to open a restaurant in Lafayette last year and most likely will open a restaurant next year in Denver.

Finding balances

Just like a brick-and-mortar establishment, passion, creativity and price all have to play their parts in a food truck operation, said John Campbell, owner of the "farm-to-truck" Heirloom mobile vendor.

"Just being really creative with the food that you have and trying to make it work," he said, making note of unique eats such as a "truck-made" fry bread with locally sourced slow-cooked meats, cotja, avocado and cilantro crema. "You just have to be careful. It's a business with a very fine line, but I've been able to pay all my bills, two employees.

"I haven't been paid a whole hell of a lot, but that'll come."

Campbell hopes to balance the potentially hit-or-miss lunch crowds with nights in neighborhoods such as Longmont's Prospect and private event catering.

The combination has worked well for RollinGreens, which has branched out to deliveries that include weekly trips to serve up fare to some school teachers, said Lindsey Mandel, co-owner.

"We've gotten a lot of catering gigs, just repeated gigs," she said. "I've been hitting the pavement, just putting it out there."

The long-term goal would be to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant for RollinGreens, which boasts a faux-brick paint job, to further boost the financial security of the tight-margined endeavor, she said.

One local food truck operator already is on her way to doing so.

Rayme Rosello, whose bright pink Comida blazed a few trails in early 2010, plans to open a restaurant called Comida in Longmont's Prospect on Feb. 17.

"I'm one woman, but I have a really great staff and crew," she said. "... Opening a restaurant, that's really exciting. I could not have done this if I had not built the reputation of the truck."

The truck, "Tina," has paid for itself, but it has yet to be a profitable venture, she said.

"That's why opening a restaurant became a necessity," she said.

Having a brick-and-mortar establishment in the 1-year-old Sweet Cow Ice Cream in Louisville helped Drew Honness get his idea of an upscale ice cream truck on the road. Knowing the truck could very well be "parked" for about four months out of the year, Honness knew he needed another steady flow of income.

Honness said he empathizes with the food truck operators, saying he hopes the city of Boulder could ease its regulations or possibly set aside a property designated for food trucks to convene on a semi-regular basis.

Boulder, he said, can support a food truck industry.

"It's a matter of sustaining the draw for people who don't want to drive from their office or walk," he said. "It's a matter of people wanting to keep the variety going ...

"The only thing that could knock it down would be that in the next two years, if (the city of) Boulder doesn't give a little in some regard."

Knights pick up first playoff win since '14BOULDER — This year's Fairview boys basketball team sure is full of surprises.
After losing five of their first eight games, the Knights rebounded to finish the regular season on a 13-2 run and found a way to win the Front Range League regular season championship. Full Story

The Boulder alt-country band gives its EPs names such as Death and Resurrection, and its songs bear the mark of hard truths and sin. But the punk energy behind the playing, and the sense that it's all in good fun, make it OK to dance to a song like "Death." Full Story